SUNDAY
FEAST: SWWE OPENING DINNER (18:30)
“FEAST” is a very special place, as Suzy Fracassa, the owner of the space and of a catering agency entitled “Fortuna’s Table” states. Located in the heart of Neukölln, we will be offered a special dinner in a converted shop space in Weserstrasse 58, at the corner of Wildenbruchstrasse. (Near U-Bhf. Neukölln)
Signing up with Yvonne necessary.
AFTERNOON PRESENTATION AND WALK (Berlin Programme)
Brindusa: The Politics of Street Art. Who does a wall belong to?
Meeting Point: U-Bahnhof Schlesisches Tor, 15:45
In this session, we are dealing with the question of ownership of Street Art. Using a wealth of examples, and introducing some celebrated street artists such as BLU and Banksy, we will discuss in how far street art constitutes an “Art” for the people, and how it relates to notions of ownership. After a short presentation, we will explore a variety of Street Art Works in the neighbourhood of Kreuzberg, SO 36. (Signing up with Yvonne required. Limited to 12 places)
A forum for inquiry into current affairs, the State of the World Week at ECLA (SWWE) fulfils an integral part of ECLA’s educational mission by demonstrating the relevance of Liberal Arts studies to contemporary world events. The week is planned by students and faculty together.
The topic of this year is ‘The Politics of Cultural Ownership’. The week is centred around current issues regarding the ownership of art and cultural artefacts. We will look at questions such as: Who owns artefacts in museums? Who has the right to decide whether an art work should be restored? Who has the authority to speak for a culture threatened by collapse? Can cultural identity itself be an object of ownership? What happens to the notions of copyright and intellectual property in the era of the internet, new media and filesharing? The debates triggered by such questions not only lead to legal disputes, they tend to touch upon - and sometimes challenge - some of our most fundamental intutions about politics, ethics and human identity.
In ECLA’s State of the World week, leading scholars, artists and other experts – together with students and faculty - will explore what happens when the ownership of art is challenged. Recent cases involving the restitution, restoration and artistic appropriation of art works will be discussed.
The topic raises questions that are strongly linked to the Academy Year-core course on the concept of ‘Property’ in modernity. The SWWE 2009 is built on a set of morning lectures by international speakers, and on group seminars and joint projects in the afternoon. One day will be dedicated to papers by students, and to a student-led panel discussion.
Undergraduate students from other universities and ECLA-alumni are welcome during the week. If you would like to attend the SWWE 2009, please send an email briefly stating your motivation to Fiona Schnüttgen (f.schnuettgen [at] ecla.de) by April 1st. Participation at the conference and accommodation is free, but travel costs cannot be reimbursed. There is only a limited number of places available for external students, and early application therefore highly encouraged. If you have questions regarding the aims and programme of the SWWE 2009, please send an email to Aya Soika (a.soika[at] ecla.de).
